The happiness curve

Washington

WE all want to be happy, don't we? Well, if you're dissatisfied, frustrated or downright miserable, cheer up. There's apparently a cure for you. Even better, it will materialise automatically. Just sit and wait; the very anticipation of its arrival might improve your spirits. The remedy: getting older.

It's counterintuitive. In our mind's eye, old age is to be endured as much as enjoyed. People fear declining health, growing dependence and increasing social isolation. But on average, they also count themselves happier. Consult public opinion surveys, and that's what you find. Almost 40 per cent of Americans 65 and older rated themselves "very happy" compared with only 33 per cent of those 35 to 49, report surveys by NORC at the University of Chicago.